FAQ
1. How can I be sure the Academy for Couples Therapists is the right fit for me?
There are four groups of therapists who may benefit from joining the Academy:
- Therapists who’ve been working with couples for a long time, and have trained in couples therapy, but still feel stuck with many couples, get triggered by some couples, or they lose creativity and confidence. They want to become even more effective.
- Therapists who are just starting out, who want to learn how to do couples therapy after taking one or two courses in their graduate school training on how to work with couples.
- Therapists with some years of experience who are realizing that they need more training on how to work with couples and don’t know which framework to choose. They would like to increase the percentage of couples in their practice.
- Therapists who don’t work with couples, but because many of their clients present with relationship issues, they want more skills in addressing the individual relationship issues that clients bring in.
If you recognized yourself in one of these groups, there is probably a good fit for you.
2. Since I don’t know you personally, what else can you tell me about yourself, your clinical work or your teaching?
I know it’s hard to trust someone you don’t know, so I’ll tell you a bit more about myself:
I was the Coordinator of the Couples and Family Counseling Program at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago for 18 years, where I developed the curriculum for the Couples Counseling Courses.
I have been working with couples for decades. I have a reputation in the Chicago community where I live and practice as someone who is very effective with difficult cases.
I get requests from seasoned couples’ therapists to consult about their couples cases. They find my approach very helpful.
I have created a Facebook group where you can see some of my work
https://www.facebook.com/groups/TA4CT/
In addition to the Academy, I run supervision groups where I discuss couples therapy cases only with the clinicians who are members of the group.
I write and publish articles for couples’ therapists in blogs, magazines and professional journals, most recently these two:
Finally, I write a blog about topics helpful for couples therapists. Reading my blog will give you a better idea of how I think and what I do.
3. Money is tight right now, why should I enroll in the Academy?
Only you can decide what you can afford, but one way to think about the Academy is that for the monthly rate, you get at least 2 hours of outstanding materials for less than the price of one couples therapy consultation.
4. How is the Academy for Couples Therapists different from other trainings?
Most other trainings focus on one framework only and don’t offer 12 live full sessions. If you join The Academy for Couples Therapists you will hear how I integrate various frameworks including The Gottman Method, EFT, the Developmental model, intergenerational, psychodynamic, and Solution Focused/Narrative therapy approaches.
I will also help you clarify your identity as a couples therapist. You will stay connected with other therapists, and get better results with your couples. When you hear how I conduct sessions with couples at different stages of the treatment process, and when you hear lessons about what frameworks to use and when, you will become more creative. And when you get better results with your couples, you will feel better, more confident, and more competent.
5. I don’t have a lot of time to devote to training, is this the right decision for me right now?
You could do this in under 2 hours a month, less than 4 hours if you choose to attend the monthly zoom calls. You will need approximately 60 to 90 minutes a month to listen to the monthly session, 90 minutes a month for a call on the Zoom platform if you choose to attend, and approximately about 20 to 30 minutes a month to hear the lessons, and read a PDF about the framework of the month.
The first time you log in to the site, you will have to spend a little time getting acquainted with the site, read a welcome email, and a document that spells out what you can expect to learn.
If don’t think you have the time needed to devote to the Academy, this may not be a good fit for you at this time.
6. I am not tech savvy; will this be a problem?
No. Once you click on a module after log in, you will be able to hear the session and the lesson on your phone, desktop, laptop or tablet. You can download the PDF of the lesson and the tools from the toolbox. It’s a really simple site to navigate.
7. What is your cancellation and refund policy?
You will be charged monthly, unless you choose to pay for the full year up front. If you’re not satisfied for any reason, I guarantee a full refund within the first 30 days, no questions asked. And you can cancel a monthly subscription any time. After 30 days, the yearly subscription is not refundable.
See the full registration terms and conditions here.
8. What else do I need to know?
With the Academy, you’ll get answers to the most important questions about doing effective couples therapy, and go from feeling like an impostor to being proud of the work you do with couples.
Here are some of the questions you will be getting answers to inside of the Academy for Couples Therapists:
- How do I become a confident leader in my sessions with couples?
- What do I say when couples fight during a session?
- My couples seem to just want to blame each other, and they don’t do their homework—how do I motivate them?
- I’m uncomfortable with confrontation—can I get better at it?
- Sometimes I lose empathy for one partner—how do I get it back?
- How do I help move couples forward when they regress?
- Do I have to use one framework, or is it ok to mix it up?
9. How can I contact you?
You can email me at Sara@theacademyforcouplestherapists.com
If you have more questions or to set up a call.
I personally answer all inquiries.
The world needs good couples therapists now more than ever! With The Academy for Couples Therapists training, you can go from dreading working with couples to feeling confident, skilled, and truly enjoying working with couples.